


Worthy

by R_E_R6



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, New Relationship, Owen Approves, POV Outsider, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26541064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_E_R6/pseuds/R_E_R6
Summary: Owen comes home late one night and finds that TK and Carlos have fallen asleep while curled together in front of the tv. After a brief chat with his son's new boyfriend, he decides he actually likes this one.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 18
Kudos: 312





	Worthy

Owen is surprised to see the soft glow of the lamplight through the living room window as he approaches the front door. He’d figured TK would have been asleep by this hour, or that he at least would have already retreated to his room to curl up in bed and scroll through his phone. However, it’s clear to him as he walks through the door and spots his son's arm and a tuft of dark hair poking out over the arm of the couch, that TK didn’t make it that far before crashing.

What’s not so obvious until he circles the couch, is that TK isn’t there alone. What looked like TK’s chocolate strands to his tired eyes is now quite obviously a few shades too dark. Another step confirms his assumptions that it’s Carlos, when he immediately spots the other man wrapped around his son. They’re both sleeping soundly and Carlos has his face tucked down against the back of TK’s neck as he lies curled around him.

He considers waking them up and getting them to move to an actual bed, but after observing them for a moment he decides they look comfortable enough. Instead, he creeps his way towards the tv in order to switch it off, not even bothering to try and figure out where they may have tucked the remote. One quick glance back to make sure he hasn’t disturbed them has Owen deciding to get them a blanket. TK is shuffling slightly in his sleep, the same way he has since he was a child whenever he doesn’t have anything covering him while he sleeps. 

Taking care to step over the creaky floorboard in the doorway, Owen carefully makes his way upstairs to pull a light blanket from the hall closet before making his way back down the stairs. TK has shuffled closer in the few moments Owen has been gone, something he can’t help but notice as he approaches the living room. However, it steals his attention just long enough to forget about the creaky step and he winces as the sound echoes into the room. 

Carlos moves immediately, though sluggishly, to hold TK tighter with one hand while he uses the other to prop up his torso in preparation to stand. All the while, he's twisting his head to the source of the noise. It’s clear he’s rigid and alert, despite the remaining haze of sleep that sticks to him, and when his squinted eyes land on the shadow in the doorway his shoulders stiffen defensively, leaning slightly and using his body to cover TK’s as much as he can from his current position. 

“It’s just me,” Owen assures him in a whisper, raising a hand to wave slowly as he steps into the low light. It’s clear when Carlos registers the shadow isn’t an imposter as he relaxes immediately. Despite this, his hold on TK doesn’t loosen. 

“Sorry, Captain Strand,” Carlos says with a wince. He rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand and finishes his apology around a yawn, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Owen can’t help but notice Carlos makes no attempt to move despite his apology, not that it would be easy given how TK is cuddling his arm, and he has to hold back a smile. Instead, he lifts up the blanket and saunters closer to complete his task of draping it over them. “Just go back to sleep, Carlos, it’s fine.”

Carlos is still eyeing him warily even as the blanket comes down on top of him and it’s getting really hard for Owen not to chuckle. Clearly Carlos hadn’t expected his boyfriend’s father to be so cool about their impromptu sleepover. Although knowing TK, he’d probably made up his mind about Carlos staying the rest of the night long before they fell asleep. Honestly, Owen doesn’t care; they’re adults and he has no such delusions about the nature of their relationship. He’s just glad to see TK finding some happiness again after what happened in New York. 

Carlos settles, but still asks, “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t, son.” With that said he grips the blanket, pulling it higher around his son's neck. "Besides, I think we both know TK is letting go of your arm any time soon."

TK is a notoriously heavy sleeper once he finally falls unconscious and Owen thinks he's stayed with Carlos enough times for the other man to know this well. The soft chuckle Carlos lets out before finally settling again tells Owen he thought correctly.

"Thank you," Carlos says as Owen turns to leave. Then, as Owen passes through the doorway again, remembering the creaky board this time, he follows it up with a mumbled, "Goodnight."

When Owen turns to repeat it back Carlos has already cuddled back into TK, both of them now further away from the edge. He catches sight of them just in time to see Carlos tilt his chin forwards ans place a kiss into TK's hair before whispering the same words to him too. With a final goodnight and an approving nod, Owen flips the switch for the lamps and leaves them be.

Once settled in his own room, in his own bed, he finds himself smiling softly up at the stagnant ceiling fan. For the first time, he finds himself realising that he actually likes one of TK's boyfriends. Carlos is different, it seems, more of what TK needs and also clearly happy to put in the effort where it counts based on what Owen has seen so far. He's still wary, though what father wouldn't be? But he can't deny that he trusts Carlos not to hurt his son more than he's trusted any of the deadbeats and assets that came before him. No, this one seems like he might be worthy of his son's fragile heart. Now he's just got to find a way to get the man to stop calling him "Captain Strand" all the time.


End file.
